In The Time Of Love And War
by sandrocks
Summary: Once upon a time Narcissa would have loved to marry Lucius. Now that she's engaged to him, not so much. What happened to make her hate him? Will they resolve things in time for the wedding?
1. Chapter 1

The garden was so beautiful in the springtime. Narcissa breathed in the smell of all the flowers, a small smile breaking out on her perfect face. She was standing on the green lawn outside the Malfoy Manor, patches of flowers bursting with red, pink, purple, and yellow flowers on either side of her. Up ahead down the path was the rose garden, a secluded little area with perfectly taken care of bright red roses and a few old benches meant for the enjoyment of those who discovered the garden. It was there where Narcissa found her feet leading her, and soon she was settled on one of the old white benches.

"You look like you belong here."

Narcissa snapped out of the peace when she heard the voice of her betrothed, soon-to-be fiancé. Her smile melted away.

"What do you want from me, Malfoy?"

Lucius Malfoy gave a feeble chuckle. "That'll be your name soon as well, sweetheart."

"Yes, sadly." The engagement was not her idea. By some cruel twist of fate, Malfoy had asked her father for her hand in marriage after the idea had been bounced around by the elder Malfoy's and Black's as a good idea. Narcissa had no say in the matter, of course. And she was finding it especially difficult to act like a lady about the situation, though her mother kept reminding her to put on a happy face.

Lucius sighed. "Come on, Cissy, we used to get along great. You know we can have a lot of fun together. Can't you just let go of the best?"

She gave him a steely look. "I never took you for stupid, Lucius." She stood up, holding her long, cream-colored silk skirt properly.

He grabbed her arm. "Give me a minute, please?"

Before Narcissa could grasp what he was doing, he was down on one knee in the middle of the rose garden, hands holding a pure silver box.

"Narcissa Black, it may take you years to forgive me and to understand what I did, but I will win you back. I picked this ring out for you, for our future, with the hope that you will accept the most beautiful ring for the even more beautiful girl and be my fiancé and soon my bride."

There was no denying that Lucius had good taste. The ring was beautiful; goblin made white-gold for the band, with a huge square diamond in the middle surrounded by tiny sunstones – much more valuable then diamonds and a thousand times brighter, flashing and sparkling somehow every color under the rainbow.

Narcissa let her fiancé slide the ring onto her finger in silence. Not because she loved him, not because his Manor impressed or because he was a gentleman.

She was Narcissa Black. And that was what Blacks did.

"_Well, you've started to grow up well." Lucius Malfoy, long-time family friend and renown school heartbreaker, sat down next to Narcissa in the compartment that all of their friends where sharing on their way back to Hogwarts to Narcissa's sixth year of schooling._

_She _had_ grown up well – there was no doubt about that. She was tall with impossibly long legs and a tiny little waist and just enough curves. Her face was delicate; beautiful; with high cheekbones and big blue eyes that were like pools of water on her pale face. Her hair was long and almost white gold, currently styled in loose waves around her face. _

_She chuckled at his comment. "Okay, Lucy, I've heard way better pick up lines come out of your mouth then that. Don't I deserve better?" _

"_Aren't you cheeky, little miss black." He chuckled and leaned back to close his eyes. Narcissa noticed that though he was still as handsome as he has always been, he looked a bit tired; both mentally and physically. Strange, considering that it had just been summer break. "But you know, it wasn't a pick up line. Ask anybody and they'll tell you that you're the prettiest girl in Hogwarts, if not wizarding England." He murmured, his eyes still shut. _

_Narcissa felt herself blush. It wasn't like other people never told her she was beautiful, but it was different coming out of his mouth somehow. She wasn't stupid – she knew Lucius was charming to everyone, but she was still only 16 and that young naïveté still ran through her blood. She'd had a few boyfriends in the past, but she had lost interest in them pretty quickly. It seemed she liked to daydream about the men that were unattainable for one reason or another. And Malfoy, with his reputation, was unattainable. He would give her an even worse reputation then his and she would be just another one of her sluts. _

_As a Black, Narcissa had learned long ago how to separate what she wanted from how she acted. _

"Such a lovely ring you got for my daughter, Mr. Malfoy. I am most confident that this well be a very happy union." Narcissa's mother, Druella, smiled at her soon to be son-in-law over the top of her teacup. It was the following day, and the Blacks had invited the Malfoy's over for a celebratory tea. And, of course – there was an engagement party to plan and a wedding to start thinking about.

"Why don't we withdraw to the study for some firewhiskey and cigars, gentleman, and let the ladies get around to discussing the party planning?" Narcissa's father, Cygnus Black, suggested. All the men, which included Cygnus, Lucius, and the elder Mr. Malfoy.

Narcissa rolled her eyes at her father's well-planned escape mechanism. Cygnus was an intelligent man, and he knew that he didn't want to be in the room when the party planning began. Narcissa almost wished she could also escape, but, well – she was the bride. It wasn't that she didn't like weddings, but first of all, she highly doubted that she would be allowed even the slightest bit of opinion. Also, it wasn't the wedding she wanted to plan. Once upon a time, perhaps; but not anymore.

"Well, first, of course, we need to have an engagement ball to announce the union of our two families to the wizarding community. It should be soon, yes? Within the next few weeks." Mrs. Malfoy stated. She was a plain woman, with steely grey eyes, a rail-thin shape, and thin, wispy hair that was always held back from her face in a tight bun.

"Surely. As I am sure you know, it is customary for the engagement party to be held by the brides family, so I think Black Manor should be fitting."

"We cannot possibly follow every tradition about weddings there is, my dear, there are simply far too many. Malfoy Manor would be just as suitable, if not more so. We have beautiful outdoor space such as our gardens, and a newly renovated patio. Perfect for a garden party."

"With all due respect, Adelie, this is an important English tradition. You…ah… may not know these traditions so well, seeing as you are French." It was a dig at Mrs. Malfoy's heritage and she knew it.

Narcissa decided to step in before the claws came out any further. "Mother, Mrs. Malfoy, if I may give my input," she paused, so they could stop glaring at each other and turn to her. "It is my engagement party, and my wedding, and I would kindly request that the engagement party be held here. Bellatrix's was held here, and I wish mine to be as well." Druella smirked. "_However_, since we are discussing location already, I would like my wedding to be held at Malfoy manor. I adore the flower gardens, and I believe it would be a perfect place for a spring wedding." Narcissa was exceptionally talented at manipulating people to get what she wanted; but she knew she would have to pull out something brilliant since her mother had taught her almost everything she knew. "And the gardens are where Lucius proposed, so there is… how would you say it… sentimental as well."

"I think that sounds suitable." Mrs. Malfoy agreed, obviously feeling slightly victorious over having won the wedding. Druella nodded in agreement, though a bit less enthusiastically.

"Yes, alright my dear, if that is what you wish. However, at this moment there is no time to be discussing the wedding as we first must plan the engagement party. We will need a theme, and of course a photographer, and a menu and a guest list…"

It was then that Narcissa zoned out. She didn't particularly care what kind of food was served, or what wine there was, as long as her friends could come and she could wear what she wanted.

_They started off as friends. Narcissa, though usually a bright student, was finding NEWT level classes difficult, especially herbology. She was simply terrible with any kind of plants, especially the terrifying sort that lived in Hogwarts greenhouses. After a couple of weeks of stressing about it, on top of dealing with her course work from Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and Astronomy, she decided it was time to give up. _

"_I officially hate Herbology. I'm going to Slughorn and asking if I can stop taking it." Narcissa plopped down in the Slytherin common room next to her usual group of friends, leaning her head down on the shoulder of her very best friend in the world, Cailean Yaxley. They had been best friends since they were three years old and had shared absolutely everything since then. _

_Cailean sympathetically patted Narcissa's head. "Don't be a drama queen, love. You can do everything you want to. You just hate dirt."_

_Lucius chuckled. Narcissa had noticed that now that they were sixth years, it seemed like they spent a lot more time with the seventh years. According to Cailean, it was an upperclassmen thing. Either way, it meant that Narcissa, Cailean, and their other good friends Natalia Rowle and Daxton Nott had been spending a lot of time with Lucius, Evan Rosier (who was also one of Narcissa's cousins), Naomi Zabini and Ian Crabbe. Narcissa had gotten to know Naomi a little better, and she was quite fond of her, but Ian was always quietly in the background. _

"_You know who happens to be excellent at Herbology?" Naomi spoke up. She was a beautiful witch, without a doubt the most beautiful at Hogwarts. Although Narcissa was often called such a name, it was clearly Naomi that took the prize. She was eerily, frighteningly beautiful, with her mane of perfectly glossy dark hair, her wicked green eyes lined with thick lashes, and her high cheekbones giving away to plump, teasing lips. As if that wasn't enough, she was tall and endlessly slim, with a large bust. It took a while to get used to her beauty, and Narcissa wouldn't have been surprised if she had some Veela blood in her. "Lucius. He inherits it from his mother. He has this amazing green thumb somehow. Give the poor girl a hand, Lucius."_

"_It would be my pleasure, if you would kindly accept it." Lucius told her. She hated when he talked to her like that, almost mockingly polite. He acted like such an over-the-top gentleman. _

_She was in no position to refuse. "Oh, please. I'd be ever so grateful." She said, mocking him right back, pretending to be the damsel in distress that he apparently thought she was. She had to give him some credit though, because he laughed and winked at her, seeming to catch the joke._

"_I will need a favour in return, though. Slughorn tells me that you are a master at Charms, and that I could probably learn a lot from you. My charm skills, however, do need some improvement."_

_Narcissa nodded, more then a bit proud. Coming from a pureblood family where boys where always held in a higher regard, she was happy that didn't fit the bimbo stereotype. "I'd love to. We can take turns; a bit of Herbology, a bit of Charms, and in the end we'll both be a bit better off."_

_And that's how Narcissa and Lucius' intimate friendship began, over plants and charms, in the library and empty classrooms._

"Narcissa Black. You are in deep trouble!" Naomi burst through Narcissa's door, spinning like the ballerina she was, Cailean following behind her with a bemused look on her face. "Hello, we are your best friends? Future bridesmaids? And we have to find out from _Witch Weekly_ that you are engaged?" Naomi dramatically flopped down on Narcissa's huge bed, falling through the thin white four-poster curtains surrounding it. Narcissa groaned from her seat at her vanity, where she was getting ready.

"Please don't tell me my engagement is actually in _Witch Weekly_..."

Cailean opened the copy in her hands and read aloud: "'Stay alert, folks, we've received breaking news of what could be _the_ wedding of this generation. Word is, the Black and Malfoy families are uniting through the young Lucius Malfoy, already a strong voice at the Ministry of Magic, and the beautiful Narcissa Black, who has only returned this past year from a lengthy visit to Paris. We're sure there will be an official announcement of the engagement any day now; so if any of you out there are on the outs with the Blacks or the Malfoys, make sure to get back in their good books because this will surely be a party you don't want to miss.'"

"Dear Merlin," Narcissa put her head in her hands. "I haven't even started thinking about the wedding yet and already the expectations for it are out the window."

"More importantly," Cailean said gently, "why are we hearing about it from a magazine instead of you?"

"Well, I told you guys that our fathers had discussed the possibility of us becoming betrothed."

"Yes, but I have been potentially betrothed to about 3 different men, and it has yet to end in engagement." Cailean said.

"I'll forgive you if you show me the ring…" Naomi giggled, hopping over to see it. Narcissa obligingly stuck out her hand. "Oh, Narcissa…. He did good. You did good. Lucius Malfoy? You've wanted to marry him since you were sixteen."

"Naomi, this wedding is the last thing I would ever want. _Ever_. I might have wanted it once upon a time, but now I am marrying a guy that dropped me after a year and a half without even telling me. Now he thinks he can just walk back into my life, just like that, and be forgiven? I don't think so. Don't you see? Now he'll always think that he has all the power over me, and I'm sick of men always thinking that." All her frustrations came out in the company of her two best friends, and tears came to her eyes.

She could see in Cailean's eyes that she understood, and the warm hug her oldest friend gave her confirmed that. "I'm sorry, Cissy, but this wedding is going to happen; you agreed to the proposal. Now you have to set aside a little bit of your pride and make the best of it."

Naomi's approach to comforting her friend was different. "Think of the wedding! You can have anything you want! And we're going to get you the _best_ dress."

Narcissa was happy to have her friends there to comfort her. She was a girl, and a girly one at that, so the prospect of finding a wedding dress was somewhat entertaining. "You guys have to help me, though. I want this wedding done my way and you know that my mother and Lucius' will stand in the way of that." She filled them in on the rest of the details they had decided on.

So Narcissa started to feel a little bit better, surrounded by her friends and plotting to make her wedding at least the best party of the decade.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I'm sure everyone knows, what you recognize is borrowed from the wonderful JK Rowling.

The week that followed was hectic, full of mornings filled with planning the engagement party, testing the food that would be served, ordering firewhiskey and champagne and the like, and picking out the flower arrangements. Previously, Narcissa had always taken a backseat to planning parties, but now that she would soon be a married woman, her mother seemed to consider her opinion worthy. It was decided that it would be a cocktail party.

"This means that there will be no sit down dinner, but waiters will offer a wide selection of those delicious hors d'oeuvres that we picked out. It won't be held in the ballroom, but instead in a selection of our main floor room's; our dinning room will be opened up, the parlor, the back balcony, and all this decorated with the flower arrangements that we decided on. I hope you are writing all these steps down, my dear, you know that when you are married you will be responsible for planning all sorts of parties."

Narcissa internally rolled her eyes. "Yes, mother."

"Now, leave the rest up to me, your sister should be stopping by momentarily to accompany you to your dress fitting."

"Bella's coming?" Narcissa exclaimed. "Oh, I didn't even know she was back! This is such great news!"

"Well, it's not like I could miss my baby sister's engagement party, could I?" a husky voice came from the entrance to the room. Narcissa glanced over to see her favorite sister leaning coolly against the doorframe, dressed in her usual black, unlit cigarette in her cigarette holder.

"Oh, Bella!" she flew out of her chair and to her sisters side, to pull her into a huge embrace. If it had been anyone else, Bella would have pushed them away scornfully, but the sisters had always had a special bond. "It's so lovely to see you. I have missed you so while you have been on your… vacation." She looked her sister up and down. She didn't look like she had just returned from a vacation and a few silent looks where passed between them, unnoticed by their mother.

"Girls, you should be heading you, it would be rude to be late to the appointment, now. And Bella, there's a dress waiting for you there as well."

The sisters bid their mother a goodbye and skipped off together, already whispering and giggling.

"_No, I really think that you are wrong, actually." Narcissa retorted. "There is no way that those two are a couple." _

_Narcissa and Lucius were sneaking from the Slytherin common room, to Hogsmede. After a long night of Lucius helping Narcissa with a lengthy essay, Narcissa had been complaining about craving butterbeer (something she had only recently discovered to be delicious – her mother had always banned it). They had just crept by a very young third- year Ravenclaw quietly talking to a 7__th__-year Hufflepuff. It was a rather big age difference. _

"_Don't be so grumpy, Cissy." _

"_Don't call me Cissy. Only a few very special people can call me that." _

"_So I'm not special enough? That's harsh. I thought that we'd been having so much fun lately."_

"_Yes, studying with you is oh so fun." She said sarcastically. He looked a little hurt – Narcissa immediately felt bad. Something about his still slightly boyish expression tugged at her heart. "I'm just joking, we do have fun together. But over butterbeer it's even better." She smiled up at him. _

_He tapped the one-eyed witch and muttered something so that it opened. "Ladies first."_

"_You know that I've known about this passage since second year but never actually used it?" she said thoughtfully._

"_That's because you're an angel, or as close to one as any Slytherin could be."_

"_No, no. I'm not an angel. Being good is so boring sometimes."_

"_Being good has nothing to do with being perfect. You aren't good; you are a tease and you're more manipulative then anyone I know. But you are perfect." _

_She laughed. "Why do you think I'm perfect?"_

_He shrugged. "I guess because you get whatever you want, look beautiful doing it, and people don't even realize that their doing something for you."_

"_You realize it." She pointed out. _

"_Well then," he smiled at her. "Doesn't that make me a little but special?" _

_She giggled for a second, and then frowned and stopped walking. "I need to try something." She turned to face him, and before even she realized what she was doing, she was up on her tiptoes, her lips slowly leaning into his. _

_Cissy had kissed before, and been kissed, but it had never felt this good before. Lucius both took control and let the kiss be gentle, both made her feel wanted, and made her feel safe. When they broke apart, they were both a bit breathless. Cissy was dazed, but quickly pulled herself together. "Well, we should probably continue on our way." She said briskly. But before she turned away she couldn't miss the smile on Lucius' face, and no amount of training from her mother on how to hide her emotions could prevent a small, true smile breaking out on her face as well. _

"I can't say I love the dress mother picked out for me." Bellatrix frowned, looking into the mirror. "At least I like the color."

"What, is it not low-cut enough for you?" Narcissa teased, stepping out of the dressing room and in front of another mirror. "More importantly, what do you think of mine?" The dress was a light lavender color, cinched at Narcissa's tiny waist. The skirt was long and A-line, with a lighter coloured plain silk underneath many flowing, slightly transparent strips of a slightly ruched darker lavender. From the waist up, the same darker material went up in a v-neck shape, ending in thick straps. For modesty's sake (and fashion's sake) there was a delicate lace underlay over the part of Narcissa's bossom that would have been revealed by the v-neck.

"Oh Narcissa, if I didn't love you so much, I would hate you for being so gorgeous." Bella smiled fondly. "You look really beautiful. Tell me, how do you really feel about this wedding?"

Narcissa sighed and sat down on the elegant sofa. "I don't know, Bella. He broke my heart once, how do I know he won't do it again? How can I really trust him, when I still have so many questions? I would almost rather be marrying some man I don't know and don't care about that do this, because I feel like I'm being defeated. I'm just the lowly witch, and he can walk in and out of my life as he pleases."

Bella sat down next to her and put a pale arm over her shoulder. "I know this may be hard to understand now, baby sister, but sometimes you have to let the man think that he's won, and then you can really do what you want. Sometimes it can hurt your pride, but trust me, it's a lot easier that way."

"I know, but all those things I thought I would have with Lucius if we got married, when we were dating, like honestly, and trust, and happiness, seem as if they aren't going to happen after all."

"You don't have to go through with this if you feel very strongly about not doing it."

Narcissa chuckled and leaned on Bella's shoulder. "I love you for saying that, but we both know that I really have no choice. I have to do what is best for this family. I understand that and I accepted it long ago."

Bella squeezed her. "Spoken like a true Black, Cissy. I'm proud of you."

"Now, what about you? Where were you really? I know it wasn't to Greece."

"You know I can't tell you."

Cissy sighed again. "Yes, I understand. Business for the Dark Lord again. Please be careful, yes? I heard many rumors of him and his abilities even while I was in France."

"What he is doing is very noble. Our family must support him. In fact, I need to talk to you about that, because you are going to be marrying into the Dark Lord's – lets call it family. I know it may come as a shock to you, but Lucius – "

"Bella, don't be daft. I know what Lucius is a part of. I'm more observant then you give me credit for. I know it started when he was a seventh year and got more serious after he left school. Even when I hate him, I worry about him."

"Lucius, as much a I hate to admit it, is a very capable wizard. You don't need to be afraid."

Narcissa hesitated. "I won't be expected to join to Death Eater because I am marrying Lucius, will I?"

"No, my dear, I don't think the Dark Lord would ask that of you. I am sure you will find some way to contribute to the cause, but I don't think it would be as one of his soldiers. As much as I know that you are extremely capable with your wand, I believe that the Dark Lord sees you as a very feminine woman – I am the only woman in his close attendants because he sees my ferocious side."

The day of the engagement party arrived quickly. Bellatrix and Narcissa's bedrooms where off a sitting room that had been made for the sisters, and they always got ready for parties together at the big vanity on what side of the room. The third bedroom off the room was now closed, locked, and never discussed. It had been a long time since the sisters had gotten ready together; now that Bella was a married woman, she usually attended parties and balls on the arm of her husband. But since it was the engagement party of her sister, she was back.

Narcissa's hair was tied up in a braided, loose bun slightly off center, with an enchanted white flower clipped in. Her make-up was fresh and natural, and her dress looked stunning on her figure. She slipped her feet into cream satin pumps, and smiled at her reflection. She was as ready as she would ever be to announce her engagement.

One of the main house elves popped into the room moments later. "Young Mistresses, the Malfoys have arrived, and Mistress requests your presence downstairs."

Bellatrix dismissed the elf with a wave of her hand. She was dressed in green velvet, in an almost mermaid style dress with a long train. She smiled at her sister. "Do have you your wand? Do you have your smile? Are you ready to go be presented to the world as engaged?"

She nodded. "This is nothing, right? The wedding is the big deal. This is nothing."

Bella chuckled as they started to make their way down. "Just keep telling yourself that." Narcissa playfully elbowed her in the side in revenge for the snarky comment.

The two girls entered the parlor, where their parents and the Malfoys were waiting. Lucius turned around when he hear the clacking of heels on the hardwood floor and the smell of sweet perfume that was no doubt his fiancé. When his eyes fell on her, she was even more beautiful then he remembered. Narcissa locked eyes with him and she approached him, butterflies in her stomach. The world seemed to fall away at that moment, just as it had the first time they kissed, so long ago in the tunnel to Hogsmede. They only had eyes for each other as they approached each other, and Lucius softly kissed her on the cheek. They missed the happy smiles of both their sets of parents, who from that shared look took hope, hope that their children would have a marriage filled with many more loving looks, something they had never themselves had.

Lucius was dressed in dark grey dress robes, with a lavender tie and the same enchanted white flower pinned to his robes. Normally Narcissa considered matching one's partner extremely tacky, but for the engagement party, it somehow worked.

"Well, you two look simply magnificent together. The guests have started to arrive. Now, you two must stay in here another half an hour until they all arrive. I will send an elf for you when the time is right, and then we will officially announce the engagement." Druella smiled briskly at the young couple and then turned away. "Come on, we must go greet out guests."

Soon, only Narcissa and Lucius remained, standing in the middle of the room, facing each other.

"You look amazingly beautiful tonight, Narcissa."

"Just wait until you see me at the wedding." She joked.

He chuckled. "And you still can't take a compliment from me with a simple thank you. That hasn't changed."

"I want you to know, I'm not the same young, naïve girl I was all those years ago."

"And I'm not the same young, foolish boy I was then, either." He reached out and took her left hand. "I need to show you something." He led her to the couch, where they sat down. He was still holding onto her hand. "I'm not sure how much you know about the properties of sunstones, but aside from being dazzling and expensive, they also have some amazing properties. For example, when two sunstones are bound through a spell, the owners of the two sunstones can contact each other through them. These sunstones in your ring are bound to one I wear." With difficulty, he pulled out from under his dress robes a thick silver chain with small sun stones on several parts of the chain. "If you ever, ever need my help, you hold your finger to the sunstone and picture my face in your head. It will burn me slightly and I will see where you are. It also works the other way around. And because we are connected through the sunstones, any wards that would prevent us from reach each other won't work."

"What if someone stole it to use it against us?"

"Well, they only work with our skin. Only the first person to wear a sunstone may use it for those purposes." He smiled at her. "So I will always keep you safe, my dear. Now we just have to seal the sunstones with a kiss." He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. It was a lie and they both knew it, but Narcissa felt her body betraying her brain and leaning in further to the kiss.

"Nice line." she rolled her eyes, trying to regain her composure, when they separated.

"Do you think it would work twice?"

"Don't push your luck."

Lucius raised his hands. "Hey, can't blame a guy for trying."

A house elf popped into the room at that moment, thankfully interrupting what Narcissa was sure would have been an awkward silence. "Little Mistress and Master Malfoy, it is time for your entrance."

Narcissa took a deep breath. She had let herself get slightly whisked away by the magic of this fantasy wedding and her dress and a day. She had to remind herself to be cautious around Lucius. Her mind was fully preoccupied with those thoughts while they were introduced; thankfully all she had to do was keep a smile plastered on her face and smile and say thank you to all the people offering their congratulations. After they made the rounds once, they ran into their friends.

"You look great, and calm." Cailean smiled and kissed her friends' cheek. "I guess official congratulations are in order. Should we go get you a drink?"

Narcissa detached herself from Lucius. "I'm going to go spend some time with Cailean."

"Of course, enjoy yourself." He planted a quick kiss on her cheek before she disappeared into the crowd.

"I have a theory, my dear." Cailean linked arms with Narcissa as they headed over to the bar to grab cocktails. "I think that boy is madly in love with you. Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"Well, he's certainly a charmer, but lets hold out on the judgments for now darling. Where is dear Naomi?"

"I think she's milling the crowd, she said there were some fine French gentlemen here."

"Bachelors, I hope."

"Well, you know our Naomi…"

"Talking about me, are we? My favorite topic." The girl in question popped up behind them, scaring them both. Narcissa giggled and the friends hugged. "Look at us, engaged and all. We really are growing up."

"And have you found a husband yet, here?"

"Yes, I have, actually. He's from Paris but moved here last year. He's handsome and rich and I declare him mine."

Once the party was over and the guests were gone and the house elves started cleaning up, Narcissa, Bella, Cailean, and Naomi retreated upstairs to the sisters' sitting room.

"That was quite successful, if I do say so." Bella observed. "I have to give Malfoy credit, he was very proud and happy to have you on his arm."

"I think he's in love with you, personally, but you don't want to hear it."

"And I think that whatever the truth might be, we should go out tonight and celebrate the fact that we are still young and gorgeous." Naomi added on, plopping down on the couch.

Bella smirked. "I think that's a great idea. There is a ton of leftover champagne downstairs, I'm going to get it, you guys start getting ready."

"You two can borrow something, if you like. I'm guessing ball gowns are good for wherever we end up going." Narcissa called over her shoulder at them as she entered into her room and opened the doors to her beautiful closet. Inside, there was a plush purple carpet, a shoe rack, and rows of beautiful dresses, robes, skirts, and jackets. There was also a long, big mirror and a comfortable white armchair. She smiled. This place was peaceful for her. It always felt safe in here.

She approached one of the racks, trying to decide what to wear. She decided on a pale, mint colored dress that was synched at the waist and had a skirt that flowed out to above the knee. It was strapless and a shiny silk and flattered her immensely.

"Please tell me you have something short and tight for me to wear." Naomi twirled in, more graceful then any muggle ballerina could be. "Put your hair down!"

Naomi picked out a tight blue lace dress with thick straps and a white underlay. She tried on one of Narcissa's white headbands and laughed at herself in the mirror. Cailean dresses in a floor length, pale pink dress and a white tank top, sliding a brown belt around her waist. Her long, light brown hair tumbled over her shoulders, and Narcissa could help but admire her natural beauty.

Once they were ready and significantly giggly from the amount of champagne they had drunk, they all stumbled into the fireplace and floo'ed to Hogsmede. There was a bar there, a bit fancier then most English pubs where, often frequented by the pureblood society. Little did they all know that in just a few short years those purebloods themselves would destroy it.

"I thought I would feel like tonight was the night I got my prison sentence, but you know, I had fun, somehow." Narcissa admitted.

"I told you Lucius still loves you, maybe you'll believe it soon." Cailean opened the door to the bar and the bell above jingled. "Hey! Speak of the devil it Lu-" but she stopped mid sentence.

At a table in the corner, there sat Lucius, laughing with some of his friends, and a thin, blonde skanky looking girl draped all over his lap. It was everything Narcissa had feared, right in front of her.

She turned towards her friends. "Still think he loves me?"

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I know I'm a slow updater, but try to stick with me I promise I'll get better.


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